1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus which is configured to drive the bending of a bending portion provided in the vicinity of a distal end of an insertion portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, endoscopes which are provided with a bendable bending portion in the vicinity of the distal end of an insertion portion have come to be widely used in the medical field and so on. Providing a bending portion on the distal end side of the insertion portion makes it easy to smoothly insert the insertion portion into a curved body cavity.
Moreover, for insertion from an anus to the deep side of a large intestine, there is a technique in which an operator performs operation to twist the proximal end side of the insertion portion around the axis of the insertion portion so that by this twisting operation, the distal end side of the insertion portion is inserted by being twisted as well.
It is noted that Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-279118 discloses an endoscope apparatus, in which the distal end side of the insertion portion is configured to be bendable (curvable), and a twisting mechanism for twisting the insertion portion around its axis is provided.